New Preliminary Standard for Experimental Curvilinear “Multigon” Approved
By Kevin Nguyen, SEMI
The Curvilinear Format Task Force (TF) was formed in 2021 with the objective of developing an acceptable curvilinear method. Over the past two years, significant progress has been made, although the TF agreed to initially endorse SEMI Draft 6821 as a Preliminary Standard rather than a Full-consensus Standard.
During the March 28, 2023 meeting, the Micropatterning North America Technical Committee Chapter approved SEMI Draft Document 6821 as a Preliminary Standard. This Standard introduces the "Multigon" extension for experimental curvilinear layouts within SEMI P39. Notably, the approval process did not require a formal letter ballot, as defined by the SEMI Regulations.
Currently, the Specification for Experimental Curvilinear “Multigon” Extension to SEMI P39 is undergoing processing for publication in the P volume. It is important to note that Preliminary Standards have a limited lifetime of two years after publication, as per SEMI Regulations § 4.2.15. Meanwhile, the TF will continue working on submitting the final version of this specification for a Full-consensus Standard.
The Preliminary Standard allows EDA software suppliers, manufacturers of mask writing tools and mask inspection/repair tools, as well as end users and other stakeholders to implement and utilize the standard during its preliminary stage. The TF hopes that users of the standard will identify any mistakes or areas for improvement and suggest changes to enhance its effectiveness in the next revision.
Since different tools interpret data differently, the remaining challenge will be to address interoperability issues. In the upcoming months, the TF plans to reconvene to discuss potential solutions that can satisfy all stakeholders involved. The TF is looking for industry experts to weigh in on this important activity. If you would like to participate in the SEMI Standards Curvilinear Format TF, please contact Kevin Nguyen at [email protected].
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Standards Watch
SEMI
www.semi.org
June 8, 2023